


Oasis

by otpsinfiction



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Cockroach Mechanic, F/M, Possible smut, The 100 - Freeform, frenemies to lovers, murphy x raven - Freeform, murven - Freeform, raven x murphy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-05-26 05:24:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14993735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/otpsinfiction/pseuds/otpsinfiction
Summary: After getting kicked out of MIT, Raven’s best friend (Clarke) offers her a place to stay and a job at her boyfriend’s (Bellamy) bar “Arkadia.” While there she reunites with a former frenemy from high school, John Murphy.





	1. Arkadia

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the song Oasis by Jasmine Thompson.  
> Don't read if you ship Zaven or Finn x Raven. I won't be villain-izing Zeke but Finn is a dick in this sooo if you liked him maybe this isn't the fic for you lol. It's mainly a Murven fic with mentions of Bellarke. No plans for smut as of right now but I'm rating it M because of cursing and alcohol consumption and all that jazz.

Raven leaned against her car, arms folded across her chest as she stared at the brick building across from her. She couldn’t believe this was her life now. Obviously, she was grateful to Clarke for helping her get a job, and a place to stay for that matter, so quickly but it was still a hard pill to swallow. A week ago, she was top of her class at MIT and now here she was, standing in a parking lot in downtown Boston, about to begin her new job as a bartender. She would’ve laughed if she didn’t feel so stupid.

It wasn’t that she thought she was too good to be a bartender, no, she felt stupid for even putting herself in this situation in the first place. There were others things she could’ve done, but instead she acted on impulse and in the process ruined her entire college career. Although she argued with herself that it was already ruined the second she walked into his office that night.

Not wanting to think about it, she checks her phone for the time, exhaling deeply when she realizes that Clarke is late. Per usual. Not that she was upset, if anything it bought her more time to wallow in self-pity before having to put on a happy face. Even though Clarke would be able to see right through it. 

She shifted her weight as her eyes scanned the building once more. It felt weird standing outside a bar this early in the day. Almost as if she wasn’t allowed to be there when the sun was still out. 

Her eyes fixated on the damaged sign above the door. Arkadia. She couldn’t for the life of her figure out why Bellamy kept the bar after his mother passed. It seemed a little ridiculous to keep the family business alive when you hated your family. As far as she knew, his sister was still in California making someone else’s life hell, and really the only family he had was Clarke. 

But the more she thought about it the more it made sense. The bar may not have any familial sentimental value but it was where he first saw Clarke, it was where they had their first conversation and even where they had their first kiss. Maybe it wasn’t as ridiculous as she originally thought.

The sound of a car pulling up next to her grabs her attention and she watches as the petite blonde makes her way over to her, an apologetic look adorning her face. 

“I’m sorry I’m late.” Clarke sighs, pulling the brunette in for a hug. “My last class went way longer than it should’ve.”

“It’s okay.” Raven shrugs, shoving her hands into her front pockets. “I was busy admiring the architecture.”

Clarke smirks, picking up on her sarcasm. It wasn’t lost on her that Arkadia was kind of a dump but much like Bellamy it held a special place in her heart. She playfully nudges her before glancing into Raven’s car. “Where’s all your stuff?”

“It’s all in the trunk.” And by ‘all’ she means there’s a small duffle bag holding her toothbrush, a couple of t-shirts and her underwear. 

“Right.” Clarke gives her a knowing look before gesturing for her to follow. “Well c'mon, let’s go introduce you to the others.”

____

The inside of Arkadia was better than she expected. She had been anticipating a Coyote Ugly situation but the atmosphere had more of a Cheers vibe to it and almost immediately she was feeling more at ease. The first thing she noticed was how big it was. The second thing she noticed was the two guys standing behind the bar seemingly throwing olive pits at each other. One of which was wearing goggles on his head.

“Hey, you’re here.” Bellamy’s voice pulls Raven’s attention from the two guys who were now staring at her. She watches as he kisses Clarke on the lips before turning to give her a quick and friendly hug. “So, what do you think?” He asks, this time directing his words towards Raven. He gestures vaguely but his smile remains genuine as he waits for her response.

“It’s… nicer than I expected to be honest.” She smiles, still feeling two pairs of eyes on her. She knew what they were staring at. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for her. Her leg brace always attracted unwanted attention but after wearing it for 5 years she was already used to the social implications that came along with it. It hardly phased her anymore.

Bellamy seemed happy with her answer, smiling again before speaking. “Let me introduce you to the guys.” Raven nods and follows suit as they approach the counter top where the two boys were now waiting. “Guys, this is Raven, she’s our new bartender. Raven, this is Monty and Jasper.”

“Nice to meet you.”

The one with goggles on his head winks while the other offers up a timid smile. Before anyone can say anything else the sound of the front door opening catches their attention and in walks another guy, the tallest of the four, eyes on the ground, hoodie cloaking his head, holding a to-go tray of coffees.  
“And here’s Murphy now.”

The guy looks up at the sound of his name being said, a smug smirk tugging at his lips once his eyes lock with Raven’s. She stares at him in disbelief and disdain. “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.” She murmurs.

“Do my eyes deceive me?” Murphy smirks, pushing his hoodie off to reveal his messy dark hair. It hadn’t changed much since the last time she saw him. He places the coffees on the counter. “It’s been awhile, Reyes.”

“You two know each other?” Clarke glances at Raven, trying to read a reaction.

“Oh yeah. Raven and I go way back.” Murphy answers for her. His eyes scan down her body, resting on her bad leg for just a split second before he continues to walk, making his way behind the bar. “Isn’t that right?”

Raven clenches her jaw as she watches him shrug off his jacket and hoodie and hang it on the hook behind him. Of course she’d be working with John Murphy. And here she thought this would be a tolerable job.  
“We went to the same high school.” She clarifies.

“Yep.” Murphy adds, adding emphasis to the 'p’. He seemed completely disinterested in the conversation but continued to speak anyway. “Until she disappeared senior year.”

Raven narrows her eyes at him. She was surprised he even noticed her absence. They weren’t friends back then… She doesn’t bother adding anything to that. It’s not like he even cared.

He punches his time card in before returning his attention to her, “What’s with the terminator leg?”

“Dude!” Bellamy smacks him in the arm like a father scolding his bratty kid. Clarke glares at him. 

“No, it’s okay.” Raven brushes it off. His straight forward-ness was surprisingly refreshing. Usually people would just stare or offer her fake sympathy looks. Murphy was anything but subtle and she appreciated it. Even if he was a massive asshole. “Car accident.” She says simply without offering up anymore details. His honesty might’ve been refreshing but she wasn’t about to bare her soul to John fucking Murphy.

Fortunately for her Murphy doesn’t pry, taking her answer at face value. He purses his lips, still seeming completely disinterested in the conversation being held. “Works for you.”

“Excuse me?” Raven kinks an eyebrow up at him. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

“Well now you’re not just the hottest girl in the room but you’re also the most interesting.” His icy blue eyes showing the slightest bit of humor.

Raven smirks in spite of herself. “I don’t care if people think I’m interesting.”

“Of course not.” Murphy shrugs, throwing a rag over his shoulder before picking up a crate of bottles that were on the counter top. “You wouldn’t be you if you did.”

“Actually, Murphy hold on.” Bellamy calls out, halting the boy from disappearing behind the door. “Can you show Raven upstairs?”

Murphy’s brows furrow together as he stares incredulously at his boss. “Why the hell would I do that?”

“So she knows which one is hers.” Bellamy answers like it was obvious.

“You’re fucking with me, right?” Murphy chews on the inside of his cheek as his eyes glance over to Raven. “I mean, you said we were getting a new bartender you didn’t say shit about me getting a roommate. ”

“Roommate?” Raven practically shrieks, flashing Clarke a horrified look. 

“What, are you afraid she’s going to hear all the girls you don’t bring home?” Jasper smirks, playfully nudging Monty in his side before helping himself to the coffees. Murphy glares at the two but decides against wounding their ego… for now.

“You’re not roommates. There are two apartments upstairs.” Bellamy clarifies, seeing the look on Raven’s face. “…And I wasn’t aware that I had to run things by you first, Murphy. After all, this is my building. You’re just living in it.”

Murphy clenches his jaw, biting down whatever snarky remark he was dying to spit out. Instead, he locks eyes with Raven, stepping to the side in a mocking manner to let her walk in front of him. “After you.”

______

Moving her things in was relatively easy considering it was one duffel bag. Bellamy was nice enough to let her use the furniture he already had in there that he used before he and Clarke moved in together. He even went as far as to buy her new sheets and a pillow which was completely unnecessary but appreciated regardless.

Murphy stood in the doorway, leaning all of his weight on the left side of the frame while he watched her “unpack”. If you can even call it that. “So, how do you know Clarke?”

She considered giving him the borderline lie of an answer. Her past with Clarke was complicated and whenever she told the truth about how they knew each other everyone always looked at her like she had three heads. It saved a lot of judgement and energy telling people they knew each other through a "mutual friend”. 

The truth was that they both had the misfortune of loving the same guy a few years back. A guy that, while Raven was studying abroad, chose not to tell Clarke that he was in a relationship. He betrayed both of them but, luckily, it worked out in their favor. They might’ve lost a lover but they both gained a friend.

And even though she knew Murphy was only asking to make small talk, she found herself giving him the shorthand of the truth. “She slept with my boyfriend.”

Murphy doesn’t bat an eye, doesn’t visibly cringe or look uncomfortable by her answer. If anything, he seems amused. Slightly raising one eyebrow he replies, “Clarke Griffin the home-wrecker… I’ll be sure to include that in my speech at their wedding.”

“Bold of you to assume you’d even be invited.” Raven smirks, bending down to close the dresser drawers that were still open. “Although to be honest she wasn’t the homewrecker… Finn was.” There she went again. Voluntarily giving him details about her life that she knew he couldn’t care less about. After all it was Murphy she was talking to. 

“Finn?” He narrows his eyes. He saunters in a bit further, stopping when he reaches her bed. “As in Finn Collins?”

“That’s the one.” She nods, watching as he adjusts the part of her sheet that was sticking out. “I didn’t realize you knew him.”

“Know of him is more like it. He’s friends with Jasper and Monty.” Murphy curls his lip in disdain as he sits on the edge of her bed. “Dude’s a fucking douchebag.”

“Couldn’t agree more.” Raven smiles halfheartedly, pushing herself up on her feet. She loses her balance ever so slightly and is surprised when Murphy reaches out to help her. Meeting his gaze, she felt drawn to his eyes. The icy blueness generated a feeling like she was being pulled into a lake of frozen emotions. She stares down at his hand, still on her arm, before yanking away from his grasp. 

Slowly he steps away, brushing his hands against his jeans. “Well, I guess I’ll see you down there… roomie.”


	2. NASA

Raven was under the impression that her first shift at Arkadia would be an easy one. It was a Sunday and she spent the majority of her afternoon being taught how to make the simplest of drinks, something she was quick to pick up on with the lack of customers they got. However, as the day dragged on and the sun set it was evident to her that she had vastly underestimated just how busy it would be.

By the time eight o'clock rolls around the bar is pretty much hundreds of conversations being told in obnoxiously loud voices, all of them competing with the music that seemed to be dominating the atmosphere. Raven never had to deal with loud, eardrum popping sounds when she was at MIT. In fact, in order to concentrate on anything, she needed remote silence. She wasn't one of those people who could have the TV on in the background when she did work, she needed the room to be quiet in order to focus. So, trying to remember dozens of variations of drinks while being talked at by an abundance of different people at the same time was a bit overwhelming to say the least.

On her side the crowd consists of young students from different universities, most of which already seem extremely tipsy before they even order their first drink. At the other end of the bar, where Murphy is, there seems to be an array of older people. Men in suits and women in blazers, some sporting salt and pepper hair while the others are showing signs of premature balding. 

Bellamy made a point to explain to her why he was making her deal with the college students instead of the seemingly much calmer grown-ups on Murphy's end. Evidently there isn't much a bunch of coeds won't drink. If she were to mess up any drinks, which she has, the chances of them noticing or giving her a hard time about it were slim. However, the regulars at the end of the bar would definitely notice and he didn’t want her first shift to involve being berated by some yuppie in a pant suit who just wants to nurse his whiskey and stare at the sorority girls he can't pull.

As she filled several cups of beer she watched Murphy graciously move around his station, making drinks so quickly and with so much ease she was almost in awe of him. It was obvious he had years of experience and knew what he was doing, but the swiftness he possessed and the complete awareness of what was going on around him was actually impressive. So impressive that she accidently overfills the customers glasses, spilling beer all over the counter and floor. 

"Shit." She mumbles under her breath as she tries to get the situation under control as quickly as possible. Much to her dismay she draws attention to herself, prompting Monty to step in and help. 

Raven glances up just as Murphy notices he's lost two bartenders to the spill on the ground. She can see him shake his head ever so slightly as he briskly walks over to where they were. "You." He directs his words at Monty as he pulls a mop bucket out of the closet behind them. "Go help Jasper on the right side."

Monty does as he's told and the spill is cleaned in a matter of seconds. Before Raven can even blink Murphy's outstretching his arm to help her to her feet. "Try to keep up, Reyes."

She nods as he pulls her to her feet, trying not to beat herself up about what just happened. It was her first day, she knew she'd make mistakes but making mistakes that John Murphy had to correct felt like a new low.

As she tended to the guests she couldn’t help but to pay attention to the different ways Murphy interacted with each person ordering. He came off as aloof and one track minded when dealing with the male patrons but his demeanor changed completely when it was a girl on the other side of the counter.

She watched as a red head leaned on the bar, her long waves lying over one shoulder of her sequined top. The girl lolled her head to one side, pursing her red lips into a smirk whenever Murphy so much as smiled in her direction. His eyes dropped only momentarily to her barely there neckline as he made her drink while the girl twiddled her hair in a seemingly absent-minded way. 

Raven began to curl her lip in disgust as she watched him shamelessly flirt with her but as the girl plucked a twenty-dollar bill from her cleavage and slid it across the counter to him before walking away, realization hit her. It wasn't until she saw him move on to the next female at the counter and repeat what he had done previously that he confirmed her suspicion. He wasn't flirting to be a creep, he was using the situation to his advantage. He was being smart.

In the five minutes that he had been on her side of the bar he had already made almost $60 in tips, meanwhile she'd been there all night and had a lousy $9 to show for it. She knew if she wanted to make the most out of a shitty situation she had to acclimate or better yet, she had to take a page from Murphy's book.

She takes care of another patron before quickly slipping into the back. She undoes her ponytail, allowing her long chestnut locks to frame her face before yanking off her long sleeve shirt, leaving her in just a low-cut camisole. 

\---

Murphy pretends to not notice Raven slip away. They were just starting to get the crowd under control and he didn’t have the time to babysit her. If she wanted to bail or couldn’t handle it, he'd understand but he wasn't about to let her come in between him and his money. He was there to work, not to play hide and seek with the new bartender.

To his surprise Raven resurfaces, taking her spot behind the bar again. He does a double take as she begins to take orders, doing his best not to stare at her exposed skin. With her hair down, she seemed like a completely different person and with her cleavage on display she quickly became the favorite amongst their male customers. Not that it was surprising... and not that he was complaining.

"Someone's a fast learner." He says, motioning to her change of appearance when she glances in his direction. A cocky grin flashes across her face and it takes everything in him not to smile in return. "And here I thought you'd be above a little sexual exploitation."

Raven rolls her eyes but her smirk remains. "You call it exploitation I call it making money."

"Touché." His eyes linger on her a little longer than he'd like to admit, before forcing himself to tear his gaze away. 

His attention returns to the few guests still waiting for drinks and just as he's about to head back over to his usual spot at the opposite side of the bar he sees a familiar face walk through the door. _Finn Collins_. Murphy clenches his jaw as he comes closer, readying himself for what he's sure is about to be an interesting interaction.

When his eyes land on Raven, he stops in his tracks, eyebrows pulling together. Murphy can see the wheels turning in Finn's head as he contemplates whether or not to approach her. 

He only ever showed up towards the end of Jasper and Monty's shift but tonight he was earlier than usual and Murphy wouldn’t be surprised if it was because one of them told him about the new bartender. Although it was obvious he wasn’t expecting to see her. 

Raven has yet to notice him and as Finn begins to close in on her Murphy finds himself, literally, standing between them. "Go in the back and grab another rag, would ya." 

Unfortunately for him Raven doesn't bite. "Get it yourself." She answers with a slight shove. As she maneuvers around Murphy her eyes lock with Finn and she freezes.

"Raven." Finn smiles, doing a once over of her. 

Murphy watches as the brunette blinks several times, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Her eyes go dark, her mouth rigid. "Finn."

"What the hell are you doing bartending?" There's a hint of humor in his voice but Raven remains cold, glaring at him.

"Jasper and Monty are over there, why don't you fuck off." Murphy chimes in, Raven holds her hand out to stop him from interfering. 

"I see you've got a guard dog now." Finn smirks, provoking a snarl from Murphy.

"I see you're still an asshole." Raven retorts. "Now why don't you do us all a favor and leave."

As if on cue, Jasper calls out to Finn ending the staring contest between the exes. Once Finn walks away Raven brushes past Murphy into the backroom. He hesitates but ultimately decides to follow her. 

"Reyes." He calls out, knocking on the supply closet before opening it. "Hey, you okay?"

"Just... stop." Raven says through shallow breaths. She's sitting on a pile of boxes, forearms resting on her lap while her head hangs low. "Stop being nice to me... stop trying to fight my battles for me. I can handle Finn and I don't need your help, Murphy... just leave me alone."

Murphy nods, swallowing the lump in his throat as he backs out of the room and closes the door behind him. He knew trying to get on her good side was a lost cause and yet he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to chuck it up as him just trying to be civil with his coworker (and sort of roommate) but he knew that wasn’t the entire truth. 

He was trying to make amends for something that happened six years ago when they were still in high school. Even though deep down he knew if she hadn't forgiven him by now chances were she'd never forgive him. 

With that in mind he returns to the bar, eager for the night to be over with.

___

Raven exhales deeply as she lifts the final stool onto the last table. She managed to make it through her first shift in one piece. She looks around at the now empty bar, a completely different atmosphere than it was a few hours prior. The only sound that could be heard was the wiping of the glasses and the broom sweeping across the cement floor. 

Luckily, Finn took the hint and didn’t bother her for the rest of the night, although she could feel him burning a hole into the side of her face the entire time. Murphy, on the other hand, hadn't said a word or even glanced in her direction since she told him to leave her alone. She was expecting snarky comments or even a sarcastic remark here and there but instead he did what he was told. He left her alone.

"Any plans for tonight, Raven?" Monty asks as he pulls on his jacket.

"Oh yeah, I've got a hot date with my Netflix account." She says wryly. 

Monty smiles. Jasper snorts a laugh. "You know it's hard to believe you guys weren't close in high school." Monty continues, glancing between Murphy and Raven. "You're a lot alike."

Raven narrows her eyes and Jasper decides to fill her in. "That's always Murphy's answer when we ask him if he has any plans."

Her eyes dart over to where Murphy is, surprised to see him with his back turned to the rest of them. 

"What exactly happened between you two?" Jasper inquires bringing Raven's attention back to the scrawny boy. "It's obvious you hate each other but like... why? I mean, I know why _I_ hate him, why do you?"

"Why _do_ you hate him?" She asks, hoping to stall the conversation for a little while.

"Cause he's a snarky asshole." Jasper answers with a shrug. "Now spill it."

Raven sighs. She hated rehashing the past but something told her if she didn’t tell him he'd never shut up about it. She felt it was better to get it out in the open now than prolong it any further. 

"It was sophomore year and I had spent months on end scrounging up any change I could find to go on this school field trip to NASA. I was obsessed. I wouldn’t talk about anything else... and my mom was a drunk who couldn’t be bothered to buy food let alone send me to Washington so I babysat and did homework for upperclassmen, literally anything I could to make money. Somehow, I managed to save up enough... but like an idiot, I left my money in my gym bag in the locker room and when I went back for it... it was gone."

"How'd you know it was him?" Monty asks.

"She caught me trying to put it back that following Monday." Murphy chimes in.

"But by then the trip was already over." Raven adds, meeting his gaze. "When I told my mom I lost the money she burned me with her cigarette."

"So, you've always been a piece of shit." Jasper shakes his head. "What were you even going to buy with the money?"

"Who cares?" Raven says before Murphy can answer. "What's done is done. Besides, that was a long time ago."

"Apparently you still care." Jasper laughs, hopping off the counter before grabbing his jacket. "Though I don’t blame you. I'd be pissed too."

"See you guys tomorrow." Monty calls out as he and Jasper head for the door. Raven waits until they're out of sight before locking up behind them. 

The room fills with silence. It clings to them like a poisonous cloud that at any moment could choke the life from them. Raven's hesitant to meet his gaze again but when she turns back around he's walking towards the stairs, leaving her in the dark.

By the time she reaches the top of the stairs he's already got his keys out attempting to let himself into his apartment. The silence stretches thinner and thinner until the temptation to fill it was too great to resist.

"Not that it matters but I was going to go see my dad." Murphy breaks the tension, his voice lower than usual. It takes Raven a second to understand what he's talking about. "He was in hospice up in Connecticut and I – I just wanted to see him one last time but my mom wouldn’t let me... So when I saw your money I..." He pauses, letting his voice trail off. "I know it's no excuse but I am sorry. It wasn't personal and I definitely didn’t think you'd get hurt because of it. But I get it... I'd hate me too."

Raven watches as he opens the door and just as he's about to close it she speaks. "Did you get to see him?"

Murphy reluctantly locks eyes with her, shaking his head ever so slightly. "He died before I even bought the ticket." A beat of silence passes before either of them speak again. "Anyway... goodnight Reyes.

"Murphy." She calls out once more. He pauses. "I don’t hate you." When he lolls his head to the side, she smiles in spite of herself. "I mean, I don’t particularly like you... but I don't hate you."

"Good to know." Murphy suppresses a chuckle as he closes the door behind him.


	3. Perfect On Paper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly."_

Raven checks her phone for a fourth time as she sits alone in the vinyl booth. She should’ve known when Clarke said to meet her at her favorite restaurant at one o’clock she really meant two. From her seat she has a view of the entrance, only couples and groups of friends come and left. She sighs to herself as she fidgets in her spot, adjusting the strap of her shirt before perusing the menu. 

Clarke invited the beautiful brunette out for lunch to celebrate Raven’s completion of her first week at the bar. It initially started out as a joke, Raven making a passing comment about how she was utterly shocked she survived a week working side by side with Murphy, Jasper and Monty. Clarke admitted it was surprising none of the boys were murdered yet but felt it was reason enough to celebrate. If not for work then for the sheer fact that she missed her best friend and just wanted to catch up. 

Raven allows herself to soak in the ambient music, not quite able to make out what the lyrics were but they offered a nice distraction. Just as she’s about to pull out her phone for a fifth time she spots a familiar tuft of blonde hair make its way through the door. 

“Clarke.” She motions her friend over, standing to hug her once the petite blonde is an arm's length away. “You better have a good reason you’re late. I’m fucking starving.” 

“Actually --” Clarke smirks as she slides in across from Raven. She slowly raises her left hand into view, showcasing a sparkly diamond ring adorning her finger. “I do.” 

Raven’s jaw drops as she reaches over, yanking Clarke’s hand closer to her face. “Bellamy proposed?!” 

Clarke nods enthusiastically, biting down on her lip to keep herself from giggling like a school girl. “He asked me last night and well... the celebrating kinda rolled over into today which is why I’m so late.” 

Raven chuckles, shaking her head in disbelief. “I’m really happy for you.” 

“Good.” Clarke smirks as she reached over and squeezes Raven’s hand. “Because there’s something else.” 

“I swear to God if you tell me you’re pregnant.” 

“No no no, definitely not pregnant.” Clarke laughs, shaking her head adamantly. “It’s more of a question... for you.” 

Raven knits her brows together, looking at the blonde incredulously. “Oh no, what is it?” 

Clarke smiles. “Will you be my maid of honor?” 

“Oh my God!” Raven grins, “Of course! I’d love to.” 

Before either of them could get anything else out the waitress walks over with what looks like a mini tablet, ready to take their order. As they speak she taps the screen to transmit their order straight to the kitchen before beaming at them with enthusiasm. “Anything else?” 

“Put it all on my tab.” A man’s voice cuts in, causing both Raven and Clarke to look up. He was classically handsome and visibly fit with a bright white smile that was only semi distracting. Raven blinks several times before she glances in Clarke’s direction. 

“Zeke, hi!” The petite blonde says excitedly as she pulls him in for a friendly embrace. 

“Hope you don’t mind I kind of overheard your conversation.” He smiles again, flashing his perfect teeth. “Congratulations, Clarke.” 

“Thank you.” She returns the smile before returning her attention to the brunette sitting quietly (and confused) at the booth. “Raven this is Zeke, he’s a surgical resident at Seymour.” She crosses over to slide next to Raven, leaving the opposite side of the booth empty for him. “You should sit and have lunch with us.” 

Raven glares at Clarke only then realizing what was happening. She naively thought this was just two friends catching up over lunch. She mutters an incoherent sentence under her breath about murdering the blonde but tries not to let on that she was suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. Zeke seemed nice enough but she really was just looking forward to chatting with her friend. 

She mentally kicks herself for thinking otherwise. Ever since she started dating Bellamy, Clarke has made it her mission to find someone for Raven. Deep down, Raven knew that it was out of guilt over what happened with Finn but she knew her friends' heart was in the right place so she learned to swallow the awkwardness and go with the flow. 

She manages to make it through the small talk, pretending not to notice that Clarke would only chime in when the conversation was lagging. And as the lunch date came to an end she felt as though she had a good idea about who this guy was. 

Zeke Shaw is incredibly intelligent and well spoken. He was in ROTC and is now well on his way to becoming a doctor. He drives a motorcycle and according to Clarke is the smartest guy she knows. Emphasis on guy. Truth be told, on paper, he was perfect. Perfect job, perfect skin, perfect smile. 

“So, what’d you think?” Clarke asks as she walks Raven to her car. 

The brunette shrugs indifferently, shoving her hands into her back pockets. “He’s kind of... too good to be true.” 

Clarke frowns ever so slightly, “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” 

“Not bad per say.” Raven muses. “It’s just... I want something real.” 

Clarke pouts, “You know I would never try to hook you up with someone without substance, right?” She asks, “I really think he’s perfect for you. Maybe just give him a chance?” 

There it was again. That word. Perfect. Raven rocks back and forth on her heels as she considers it. She knew from experience that when something seemed too good to be true it usually was. Even still, she didn’t see the harm in trying. Maybe Clarke was right. Maybe he is perfect for her. 

“Okay, fine.” She sighs as she unlocks her car door. “I will.” 

____ 

 

The atmosphere at the bar was significantly more cheerful than usual when news broke about Bellamy and Clarke's engagement. After Murphy's mock offense of not being chosen as Bell's best man and several shots were consumed things slowly returned to its natural rhythm of chaos as Arkadia got increasingly busier. 

Murphy couldn’t help but notice Raven was uncharacteristically quiet as the night progressed. She smiled politely at the patrons, worked quickly and efficiently but that was about it. Normally she’d be firing sarcastic remarks at him or playfully rolling her eyes at Jasper and Monty’s antics. 

He hesitates as he makes his way over to her. She made it perfectly clear in the past that she has no interest in him swooping in to try and help her. Even though his brain was screaming at him to leave her alone his urge to make sure she was okay won out in the end. He clears his throat before lightly nudging her in her side, “Reyes, you alright?” 

“Hm?” She doesn’t bother looking up but her brows furrow together like she heard his voice but didn’t understand what he had just asked her. “Oh...yeah, why?” 

Murphy shrugs, wringing his bar rag in his hands as his eyes look everywhere but her. “You seem kind of off --” 

“Did someone complain about their drink?” She finally looks up, forcing him to meet her gaze. He realizes then that she’s mistaking his concern for criticism. “Was it the guy with the long island ice tea? That drink is a nightmare --” 

“No, you’re fine. No one complained. I was just...” He allows his voice to trail off not really willing to finish his sentence. She probably wouldn’t believe him if he told her he was worried. She finds nothing sincere about him, that much is clear. But her mocha colored eyes are boring into his and he suddenly can’t form a cohesive thought. 

She must realize what he’s getting at because her features soften, her eyes flicker down towards his lips before returning to meet his gaze once more. “I just... have a lot on my mind. It’s been a weird day.” 

Murphy nods. “If you’re not up for being maid of honor I will gladly take over for you. Give Clarke a bachelorette party she’ll never forget.” He smirks, a glint of mischief in his eyes. To his surprise Raven genuinely smiles at his joke. 

“Only if you wear the bridesmaid dress.” She plays along, her smile growing. 

Murphy pretends to consider it, unable to wipe the grin off his face. “And upstage the bride? I don’t think she’d be too happy about that.” 

“Yeah cause that’s where she’d draw the line,” Raven says sarcastically with a smile, “You wearing a dress.” 

Murphy chuckles. He tries not to get caught up in the moment. He knows for her she’s just passing the time with a meaningless conversation to distract her from whatever's plaguing her mind. Even though for him it feels like making a connection, he won’t allow himself to think much of it. Just chuck it up as banter between two coworkers. Nothing more. Nothing less. 

He wants to ask her about what’s on her mind but he doesn’t want to push it. He’s certain the second he asks the smile on her face will disappear faster than it came. 

Much to his dismay a familiar voice has a similar effect. His jaw clenches as they turn, in unison, to face the man on the other side of the bar. Immediately he’s filled with rage. Either Finn has the worst timing in the world or he knew what he was doing and didn’t care. The smug look on his face told Murphy it was the latter. 

Murphy glances over to Raven trying to read her expression. She didn’t seem surprised to see him but she certainly didn’t seem happy either. It was more like uninterested disdain. “Go away.” Raven says simply, sighing exaggeratively. “Are there no other bars in a ten-block radius that you can infest with your presence? Must you come here?” 

“I’ve been coming to Arkadia long before you ever started working here. Technically you're in my territory.” Finn takes the empty barstool in front of him, folding his arms on the countertop as if to say he wasn’t going anywhere. 

“Territory?” Raven scoffs. “What're you, a dog?” 

Finn winks, a smirk coloring his face. 

Raven’s face changes from disdain to pure disgust as she begins to walk away. Finn reaches out and grabs her arm forcefully, yanking her back in the process. Raven winces in pain but before she has the chance to stumble back Murphy’s prying Finn’s hands off her. “Don’t ever fucking touch her.” 

“Mind your business dude.” Finn replies with a forceful shove. “This has nothing to do with you.” 

“It’s not about me, asswipe. I think she’s made herself pretty clear.” Murphy snarls, returning the shove. “Take a hint. She doesn’t want anything to do with you.” 

“Oh, so you speak for her now?” Finn raises an eyebrow, catching his balance. 

Murphy makes his way around the counter, the situation now catching the attention of the other bartenders. Murphy can hear Bellamy calling out his name, warning him to relax but he can’t. This feels long overdue. 

“No, I don’t speak for her but since you don’t listen when she does speak I’m going to go ahead and help you out.” Murphy pushes him with more force than before, sending him flying into a nearby table. 

“Murphy!” Bellamy’s voice rings in his ear. “I said that’s enough!” 

Reluctantly he pulls back, glaring at his boss before pushing past everyone else and heading for the back. 

Bellamy’s voice echoes after him as he reaches the stairs. “Another outburst like that and you’re fired.” Murphy turns to look him in the eye. He can tell he isn’t bluffing but he has a hard time caring about anything at the moment. “I mean it Murphy. Don’t lose your job over a pissing contest.” 

“The guys a piece of shit. He --” 

“A piece of shit that can sue.” Bellamy cuts him off before he has the chance to explain what happened. “And neither of us can afford a lawsuit. This is your last warning, Murphy. Are we clear?” 

Murphy clenches his jaw, eyes locking with Raven as she steps into the backroom. “Crystal.” He answers, the snarky tone in his voice hard to ignore, hoping that was enough to get his boss to walk away. Bellamy knows not to expect anything more, so he accepts his answer at face value before returning to the front. 

Raven stared into his bright blue eyes burning with anger and everything fell silent. He could tell she was racking her brain, trying to find a cohesive thought but nothing came out. Her brown eyes desperately searched his, secretly hoping he would say something first. 

The silence began to eat at him, Murphy sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry.” 

Caught off guard, Raven knits her brows together in confusion. “What’re you --” 

“I know you said before that you don’t need my help and that you can fight your own battles.” He recalls, realization crossing her face. “But if it helps I’ve wanted to kick his ass long before you ever showed up.” 

Raven smiles ever so slightly, eyes falling to the ground. “You don’t need to apologize Murphy.” 

“Yeah, well...” He allows his voice to trail off before meeting her gaze again. “You better get back out there.” 

“You’re not coming back out?” 

“Nah I think it’ll be better for everyone if I just disappear for the night.” 

Raven nods in understanding watching as he turns to walk away from her and up the stairs. Halfway up she calls out to him, she can see him pause as if he’s contemplating whether or not to face her. Finally he does, his eyes tired and unexpecting. 

“Thank you.” Raven manages to get out. To her surprise he doesn’t respond, he simply nods his head once and continues on his way. Even more surprising was the feeling in her stomach when she realizes she has to work the rest of the shift without him. A familiar feeling: disappointment.


	4. A Night To Remember

After a rather interesting night of work Raven finds herself pacing her apartment. It was already two in the morning by the time she showered and changed out of her clothes and into something more comfortable and less revealing. She felt restless. The silence coming from Murphy’s apartment gnawed at her insides like a gaping void. Usually she was up all night, irritated, listening to the sound of him making pasta at four in the morning or laughing at whatever sitcom reruns he was watching. She hadn't realized how accustomed to the noise she became until it was abruptly replaced with nothingness. 

She considered knocking on his door to see if he was okay but her pride wouldn’t let her. After all, she specifically told him to leave her alone and to stop acting like he cared and yet here she was contemplating doing that exact thing. She chucked it up as guilt for being a part of why he got in trouble with Bellamy. Although her pride had a hard time coming to that conclusion as well. She never told him to help her and she certainly never asked him to step in. Regardless, he did and as a result of that he was berated and she felt responsible. 

Realizing sleep wasn’t in the cards for her she wandered downstairs to the bar. Maybe a shot would help her sleep. Or at the very least, get her to relax. 

She stops in her tracks when she spots him. Only one dim light is on and sat underneath is Murphy, nursing a bottle of bourbon. _That explains the silence_. She hesitates for a moment trying to decide if she should join him or leave him be. He had yet to notice her. She could easily walk away and try to actually enjoy the peace and quiet for once. 

Raven sighs and the sound of it causes him to turn and face her. She pauses, taking in his appearance. His shoulders are slumped, his outgrown hair hiding most of his face and his piercing blue eyes are cold, the way they always are. “Want some company?” 

Murphy shrugs indifferently, taking another swig of the bottle. “Surprised you're awake.” 

“I couldn’t sleep.” She sighs again, sliding into the seat opposite him. 

“Me neither.” Murphy nods, turning the bourbon around in his hands to draw attention to it. “I guess we had the same idea.” 

“You mind?” Raven gestures to his bottle. 

Murphy purses his lips, eyeing her up for just a second before slowly sliding it across the table. “Knock yourself out.” 

For a while nothing is said. They pass the bottle back and forth making a rather impressive dent in it. It was a different kind of silence. A comfortable one. Until Raven decides to take the first step in mending any tension that might be between them, whether intentional or not. She figured there was no harm in befriending her coworker and sort of roommate. She had to see him every day the least she could do was be civil, even if he was a demon in high school. “So --” She clears her throat, “How’d you end up here anyway?” 

Murphy furrows his brow, sitting up a bit straighter. “Here as in?” He pauses, glancing around the empty bar. “As in, working at Arkadia or bartending in general?” 

“Both.” 

Murphy leans back in his chair, his eyes glued to the table as he mulls over her question. “I don’t know I guess --” His voice trails off as his eyes lock with hers, “I guess I didn’t really have anything else going for me.” 

“That’s a lie.” Raven says adamantly. “You were a straight A student in high school. In fact, I remember you always had a book tucked in your back pocket. You're telling me that guy didn’t have anything going for him?” 

“That guy stopped existing after my dad died.” He says, his voice full of despair for a split second. “But the real question here is what were you doing looking at my butt, Reyes?” 

Despite knowing it was just a tactic to revert the subject onto her she couldn’t help but smirk in response. “Guess I’m an ass kinda girl.” 

He raises an eyebrow up at her, a glint of mischief and humor in his eyes. 

“Seriously though.” She continues after their laughter dies down, “What happened?” 

Murphy sighs, running his free hand through his hair. “After my dad died my mom kind of just... disappeared. She was around less and less until finally she just... never came home. I got a partial scholarship to UCLA but I couldn’t afford to go to school and I needed a way to keep a roof over my head so I... did some things I’m not proud of and worked a lot of dead-end jobs that no one else wanted. The only constant in my life was this piece of shit bar.” He chuckles ever so slightly. “Because I was here all the time Bellamy reluctantly became a sort of mentor. He offered me a job and a room upstairs, dirt cheap, on the condition that I get my shit together... I mean, who could say no to that, right?” 

“Right...” She smiles wryly. “Bellamy certainly has a thing for taking in strays.” 

“Well what about you?” Murphy’s normally cold gaze softening under hers. “Why are you here?” 

Raven freezes up. She figured he would ask her eventually, especially since she was prying into his past but when it actually came down to opening up about what happened she couldn’t string together a single cohesive thought. The truth was she hadn’t spoken about it to anyone but Clarke and even then, she had to drag it out of her. And yet, the longer her eyes were locked on his the more compelled she felt to share. 

“C’mon Reyes.” He smirks, passing her the bottle. “You heard my sob story, it’s only fair I hear yours.” 

Raven nods, taking a swig before reluctantly meeting his gaze again. “Well I certainly never thought that this would be my life, that’s for sure.” She sighs, tucking her hair behind her ears. “...up until a few months ago I was studying at MIT’s School of Engineering... I had this professor, McCreary, who was the absolute worst. He was always singling me out and I thought it was because I was one of the only two girls in the class. Anyway I, um, I got this bullshit grade on a midterm that I knew I fucking crushed and when I went to go ask him about it...” Raven pauses, wishing Murphy would just put two and two together so she wouldn’t have to say it out loud. Unfortunately for her, he doesn’t. Another sigh escapes her lips but this time she keeps her eyes glued to the table. “He was really inappropriate and crossed a line... so I punched him in the face.” 

“Wait a second, you mean to tell me, a Professor sexually harassed you and _you’re_ the one who gets kicked out of school?” 

“It was my word against his.” Raven answers like it was obvious. “He painted me out to be this incompetent student with a bad attitude who was pissed about her failing grade.” 

Burning rage hissed through Murphy’s body like a poison. Raven could see the animosity in his eyes as he tried to grasp what he was hearing. Although she felt his rage was pointless she remained silent, watching his expression change. “Please tell me you’re fighting this.” He says through gritted teeth. “The bastard deserves to lose his job and you deserve to finish school. You should -- “ 

“Murphy.” Raven cuts in, “I didn’t tell you to get your advice on the situation. I was just...” 

“No, you're right. I’m sorry.” He shakes his head, pushing back so he can stand up. He looks down at the half empty bottle before glancing at the clock on the wall. “We should probably call it a night.” 

Raven nods but doesn’t make any move to leave. She watches him clean up and disappear up the stairs without a single word. 

____________________ 

Raven hastily pulls her towel tighter around her body before wringing any excess water from her long locks. She overslept. Big time. Apparently drinking half a bottle of bourbon at two in the morning will do that. Thankfully she had the night off. Unfortunately, however, she had a date. After being tirelessly worn down by Clarke she finally agreed to go out with Zeke. And of course, in true Clarke Griffin fashion, she wasn’t allowed to know where they were going or what they were doing. The only problem was that now she had no idea what to wear. 

She stares at her sad excuse for a closet, trying to put outfit ideas together in her head while also making a mental note to go shopping, preferably sometime within the next year. Regardless, none of the outfits are working. Granted it doesn’t help that all she owns is a couple of tank tops and two pairs of old jeans. Neither of which seemed appropriate. Surely this would be a night to remember. 

She couldn’t even remember the last time she went on a date let alone one that required her to look presentable. It didn’t help that she hated dressing up. While she found dresses beautiful they were never really her style. Mostly because she found them too constricting. Raven sighs, slumping down on her mattress when she hears keys turning her lock. 

“It’s just me!” Clarke calls out, locking the door behind her. “I figured you’d want some help.” 

Raven huffs, “You wouldn’t happen to have a date appropriate outfit with you, would ya?” She calls back, half joking – half serious. She can hear the petite blonde making her way towards her room. 

“Actually, I do.” Clarke appears in the doorway, a grin adorning her face and a garment bag draped over her arm. “I come bearing gifts.” 

Raven’s initial smile of knowing Clarke was there to help her get ready quickly turned into horror. Her brown eyes widen as she watches her best friend hook the hanger on the bag up on the slightly ajar closet door. “What the hell is that?” 

“A dress...” Clarke smiles again, this time its exaggerated and ridden with guilt, as if she already knew she was in trouble. “...for you to wear tonight.” 

“Clarke no... no.” Raven mutters under her breath, suddenly gripping her towel even tighter. “What the hell did you get me into?” 

“I kind of told Zeke that you’d accompany him to this work thing he has tonight.” The blonde answers, still wearing her _‘please don’t kill me’_ smile. 

Raven chews her bottom lip, exhaling heavily before rolling her eyes. “What kind of work thing are we talking exactly?” 

Clarke grins as she reaches up for the zipper and pulls it down, revealing what’s inside. 

There’s a beat of silence and then, 

“I’m going to kill you.” 

___ 

“Fuck!” Murphy jumps at the sound of a glass shattering beside him. He glares up at the culprit. Jasper, trying to impress a girl. _Of course_. He glares in his direction, not bothering to chew him out. Normally he would. Normally he would call him an idiot, or a ‘useless motherfucker’ but he wasn’t in the mood to get into it with him. Monty was sick so they were down a bartender on their busiest night of the week. Not to mention, not only did he not get very much sleep but he was hungover. And he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t still thinking about his conversation with Raven from the previous night. But before he can give it any more thought the sound of another beer bottle shattering cuts him off. He clenches his jaw, balling up his fist before turning to Jasper. 

“Tonight's the night I finally kill you.” He snarls through gritted teeth. 

Jasper doesn’t take his threat seriously, this wasn’t the first time Murphy threatened to kill him and he knew it wouldn’t be the last. So instead of heeding his warning, he winks and blows him a kiss. 

“Okay, okay. I’m here.” Bellamy rounds the bar, stepping in before the situation can escalate any further. He quickly washes his hands before beginning to serve drinks. 

Murphy furrows his brow as he glances at the clock. Raven still wasn’t downstairs and she usually was the first person behind the bar when the night shift started. Was she okay? “Where the hell is Reyes?” 

“She’s got the night off.” Bellamy answers without stopping, “She’s got a date so I’m here to cover.” 

“Favoritism much?” Jasper shouts, looking genuinely offended. “Since when are dates a good enough reason to get off work?” 

“Since my fiancée's best friend needed the night off.” Bellamy smirks, shooting Jasper a smug look that’s met with an eye roll. “Besides, it’s not just any date, it’s for some charity auction banquet thingy – I don’t know, I wasn’t really listening if I'm being honest – I just know it requires the night off.” 

Murphy has yet to say anything. In fact, he has yet to move. The idea of Raven going out on a date put knots in his stomach. He hated the idea of her getting close to someone else and he hated himself for feeling that way. He had no ownership over her, he had no say in anything she does, she barely tolerates his existence and here he is feeling sick at the thought of her bringing her date home tonight. He swallows hard, doing his best to ignore the gnawing feeling in his gut as he returns his attention to the costumers piling in. 

An hour in and neither Raven nor Clarke have come down yet. He’s starting to feel restless until a guy, around his age, slowly approaches the bar. Already Murphy can tell this is the guy. His tux was the obvious giveaway but even if he hadn't noticed what he was wearing he still would've guessed. He just seemed like the kind of guy she would go for. Annoyingly perfect, like her. 

His jaw clenches involuntarily when the man smiles in his direction. He slaps his hand down on the bar enthusiastically, still grinning, “Hey man, I’m here to pick up Raven.” Before Murphy can offer up a snarky or sarcastic remark Bellamy steps in. “You must be Zeke.” 

Murphy watches the two men shake hands and exchange mindless small talk. “I’ll let her know you’re here.” He offers, wanting any excuse to walk away. He hears Zeke thank him but he can’t be bothered to acknowledge him any further. He ascends the stairs, hesitating once he reaches her apartment door. If he wanted to be an asshole he could lie, he could go back downstairs and tell Zeke she changed her mind but he wouldn’t. He’d never do that to Raven. His confusing feelings aside he knows she deserves to be happy and if this guy makes her happy then who is he to stand in the way? Right? 

He does his best to convince himself of that before he knocks on the door. Within minutes Clarke is standing in front of him, confused by his presence. “Murphy.” She frowns, “Shouldn’t you be working?” 

“Don’t worry princess, I’m just a messenger.” He smirks, walking past her into Raven’s apartment. She isn’t out in the living room which he’s grateful for. Maybe he could pass along the message and disappear before he had to see her. Except, as he lingered, he realized he actually wanted to see her. “What’s-his-face is here to pick her up.” 

“Who is it?” Raven’s voice can be heard on the other side of the bathroom door. 

“Murphy.” Clarke answers as she eyes him up suspiciously. “He’s just here to let you know Zeke’s downstairs.” 

At that she exits the bathroom and Murphy’s breath hitches in his throat. Her red gown clung to her body perfectly, showing off curves he wasn’t aware she had. Her long chestnut hair that was usually straight was slightly curled and her full lips matched the red of her dress perfectly. He forced himself to swallow the lump in his throat as he took a step towards her. 

She looked absolutely stunning but something was off. As his eyes raked over her body he realized, not only was her normal overly confident demeanor gone but her leg brace wasn’t visible from underneath the dress. The longer he looked at her the easier it was to realize she looked disconcertingly uncomfortable. Her body language was that of an extremely shy and anxious 13-year-old and as someone who knew her at 13 he knew that was not an accurate way to describe Raven Reyes. 

“You look beautiful.” Clarke smiles with pride. She nudges Murphy. “Doesn’t she?” 

He nods, not wanting to voice what he was actually thinking. If it was any other girl he wouldn’t have held back, there was no shortage of inappropriate jokes stored in his brain, but as he looked at her all he could think was: _please don't go._

“You ready?” Clarke asks, now holding the door open for them. 

“I just need a second.” Raven smiles nervously, wringing her hands together. “I’ll be right down.” 

Clarke excuses herself to go say hi, leaving the two of them standing quietly in her apartment. Much like the first day she got there. He walks towards her and when she’s just inches away he pauses and just gazes, soaking in the warmth of her deep sienna eyes. “Raven...” 

“Tell me what you really think.” She cuts him off, holding his gaze. Murphy furrows his eyebrows and she rolls her eyes in response. “I could see it written all over your face when I walked out. Tell me.” 

He hesitates for a moment. “I think you look beautiful.” He answers and when she sighs disappointingly he knows he can’t lie to her. “But... you seem a bit out of your element.” 

“Out of my element?” She questions, raising an eyebrow up. 

“Yeah.” Murphy drags his teeth over his bottom lip. “Like you’re uncomfortable...like there’s... there’s a million other things you’d rather be doing than wearing that dress.” 

A hint of a smile colors her face followed by a look he’s sure he’s never been on the receiving end of before. It sparks something in his chest that he’s not stupid enough to act on. 

“I guess I better get down there.” She smiles halfheartedly. He nods, stepping out of her way. “Try not to kill Jasper while I’m gone.” 

Murphy smirks, “No promises.” 

And with one last look over her shoulder she disappears down the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i included a visual of the dress over on my tumblr if you're interested and arent already coming from there
> 
> it's @ saltbaes


End file.
